1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fish stringing system, and more particularly, to an improved fish stringing system manifesting a point of connection between stringer and fisherman that allows for safe, reversible coupling, ease of fish attachment and detachment, and quick release.
2. Description of the Related Art
When in shore wade fishing for sport or leisure, it has long been customary to attach caught fish to ones self via a small line generally referred to as a stringer. This stringer may consist of a rope or cord exhibiting a plurality of hook closures for fish attachment or, as with this invention, a single piece of rope designed for successive fish attachment. In the later, once the fisherman has made his catch, the string is traditionally guided through the fish's gills and brought out of the mouth through the use of an attached beveled tip spike. Fish are collected in series and comprise what is commonly deemed a string of fish. To release the fish from the stringer, the fish are guided down the string and removed from the stringer.
While the material used in the construction of the stringer may vary, the fundamental assemblages have remained relatively consistent over time. The basic design of a fish stringer is a variable length of rope with a means to block the release of fish at one end of the rope in the form of a ring or float and a beveled spike at the rope end closest to the fisherman. In the most rudimentary design, an angler may simply attach a stringer to his or herself by tying the stringer to a belt or belt loop. Utilizing this method is undesirable in that it requires both hands to secure the stringer onto the fisherman. In addition, the exposed stringer spike presents a possible stabbing hazard. In an attempt to address both issues, fishermen in the past have attached a stringer spike to their person via a wade belt pocket, but even when wading belts or similar fishing attire are worn, the pockets made to receive the stringer spike may not be uniformly snug to all spike diameters and may not tightly grip the stringer spike. What is more, neither method of attachment allows for quick release of the stringer in the event a predator such as a porpoise or a shark attempts to abscond with the fisherman's catch. Additionally, should the fisherman be outfitted in chest high waders, the predator may drag the angler's feet from under him or her and allow the waders to fill with water—causing almost certain drowning.
Variations on the main theme have been developed, but no stringer system to date has had the capacity to reversibly couple to a stringer spike of varying diameters, allow for rapid release, and provide for the protection of the user from a stabbing hazard from an exposed, unsheathed beveled spike. The following patents are examples of improvements that answer some, but not all, of the concerns addressed by the current invention:
U.S. Pat No. 5,203,480, issued to Day, teaches a D-shaped fish stringer handle that contains an orifice to receive the stringer needle inherent in the device. The invention promotes safe sheathing of the stringer needle, but is not spring loaded for rapid attachment and release. Further, the Day patent requires greater manual dexterity in its operation than the present invention and necessitates a complex manipulation in securing the stringer needle inside the invention with the stringer rope itself.
U.S. Pat No. 5,025,587, issued to Creed, and U.S. Pat No. 4,830,244, issued to Brannon, both teach sheathed stringer attachment, yet neither is spring loaded for rapid release and both demand specific spike design in the mechanisms use.
U.S. Pat No. 5,078,310, issued to Ferry, employs a spring and plunger arrangement to secure a stringer rod. Yet, the stringer rod in Ferry's device runs perpendicular to the mechanism and exposes the beveled tip. The '310 invention does provide a tip cover to protect the fisherman from stabbing, however this cover forces another step in sheathing the stringer rod and increases the potential for possible stabbing either while attempting to cover the stringer rod or from a disassociated protective cap. In addition, the assembly is less esthetically appealing and less ergonomic than the present invention.
U.S. Pat No. 7,357,282, issued to Brull, describes a spring-loaded connector assembly capable of sheathing and reversibly coupling a stringer rod to a rod receptacle. While the invention sheaths the stringer rod and allows for quick release, the mechanism employed to secure the stringer rod relies on a groove around the circumference of the rod and a securing member that engages this groove to clutch the rod. Therefore, this system can only be utilized with a specific stringer rod exhibiting a set diameter and a specifically positioned groove.
U.S. Pat No. 4,570,836, issued to Mayo, as well utilizes a spring loaded system to sheath the stringer spike, but as in the previously mentioned '282 patent, the stringer spike relies upon a locking pin and specifically placed groove system to securely engage the spike. Additionally, even when the spike is sheathed, the stringer cord is still attached to the system and thus to the fisherman raising concerns of the operator's overall safety.
Clearly a need remains for a stringer attachment system that answers the aforementioned deficiencies. The present invention provides such an invention.